Universität zu Köln

Feng, Kai, Sen, Rajyashree ORCID: 0000-0002-0117-6660, Minegishi, Ryo, Dubbert, Michael, Bockemuhl, Till ORCID: 0000-0002-6213-8107, Büschges, Ansgar ORCID: 0000-0003-2123-1900 and Dickson, Barry J. (2020). Distributed control of motor circuits for backward walking in Drosophila. Nature Communications, 11 (1). p. 6166. BERLIN: Springer Nature. ISSN 2041-1723

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Abstract

How do descending inputs from the brain control leg motor circuits to change how an animal walks? Conceptually, descending neurons are thought to function either as command-type neurons, in which a single type of descending neuron exerts a high-level control to elicit a coordinated change in motor output, or through a population coding mechanism, whereby a group of neurons, each with local effects, act in combination to elicit a global motor response. The Drosophila Moonwalker Descending Neurons (MDNs), which alter leg motor circuit dynamics so that the fly walks backwards, exemplify the command-type mechanism. Here, we identify several dozen MDN target neurons within the leg motor circuits, and show that two of them mediate distinct and highly-specific changes in leg muscle activity during backward walking: LBL40 neurons provide the hindleg power stroke during stance phase; LUL130 neurons lift the legs at the end of stance to initiate swing. Through these two effector neurons, MDN directly controls both the stance and swing phases of the backward stepping cycle. These findings suggest that command-type descending neurons can also operate through the distributed control of local motor circuits. Drosophila Moonwalker Descending Neurons (MDNs) alter leg motor circuit dynamics so that the fly walks backwards. The authors identify two MDN effector neurons that directly control the stance and swing phases of the backward stepping cycle, indicating distributed control of local motor circuits via command-type descending neurons.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Feng, Kai UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Sen, Rajyashree UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-0117-6660 UNSPECIFIED Minegishi, Ryo UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Dubbert, Michael UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Bockemuhl, Till UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-6213-8107 UNSPECIFIED Büschges, Ansgar UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0003-2123-1900 UNSPECIFIED Dickson, Barry J. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-308769
DOI:	10.1038/s41467-020-19936-x
Journal or Publication Title:	Nature Communications
Volume:	11
Number:	1
Page Range:	p. 6166
Date:	2020
Publisher:	Springer Nature
Place of Publication:	BERLIN
ISSN:	2041-1723
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences > Department of Biology > Zoologisches Institut
Subjects:	Life sciences
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY DATA; STICK INSECT LEG; SENSORY SIGNALS; COORDINATION; NEURONS; VISUALIZATION; COCKROACH; DIRECTION; FEEDBACK; BEHAVIOR Multiple languages Multidisciplinary Sciences Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/30876